Dominique Dawes Speaker Biography
Three-Time Olympian, Olympic Gold Medalist, Healthy Lifestyle Advocate and Gymnastics Academy Owner
Dominique Dawes, a celebrated Olympic speaker and legendary gymnast, achieved unparalleled success in three Olympic Games. Remarkably, she is the sole American gymnast to win team medals in all three, earning her a permanent place in the U.S. Olympic Committee Hall of Fame. Many remember this inspiring Olympian as part of the gold medal-winning “Magnificent Seven” at the 1996 Atlanta Games. There, she also captured a bronze medal with a stunning floor exercise, making history as the first female African-American gymnast to win an individual Olympic medal. Furthermore, she secured a team bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games and made a notable comeback at the 2000 Sydney Games. Subsequently, in 2010, the IOC awarded Dawes and her 2000 teammates a team bronze medal.
Gymnastics
Dawes’ journey in gymnastics began at the young age of six. Her dedicated coach, Kelli Hill, quickly recognized her immense potential. Consequently, Dawes started competing at the age of ten. She then burst onto the international stage at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Notably, she was among the first African-American female gymnasts to compete and qualify through the Olympic trials held in Baltimore, MD.
Olympic Speaker
At the Barcelona Games, this talented Olympian and her teammates proudly earned a bronze medal. Many fans fondly recall her captivating ‘up-and-back’ tumbling pass. This unique sequence comprised eleven skills, stretching across the entire floor. “I could never hear my floor music after that tumbling pass,” Dawes reminisced. “The crowd would be cheering so loudly; I would just have to dance to their cheers. It was an amazing feeling.” Her remarkable achievements define her as an iconic Olympic athlete.
Medals
Throughout her illustrious career as an Olympic gymnast, Dawes achieved an extraordinary record. She has won more National Championship medals than any other athlete, male or female, since 1963, in addition to numerous World Championship medals. One of Dawes’ most significant accomplishments occurred at the 1994 National Championships. There, she remarkably swept all four events and clinched the coveted All-Around title.
Winning
“Winning my first national title was incredibly exciting,” Dawes recalled. “However, the month leading up to Nationals was a real struggle. I couldn’t seem to stay on the balance beam, and my consistency and confidence were wavering. I’m not sure if it was the pressure, but it made focusing on my goals difficult. Then, one day after practice, a teammate’s parent, Mrs. Norman, offered me the kindest words. She showed compassion without adding pressure or giving unsolicited advice. To this day, her words resonate and inspire me to stay focused during tough times. That experience taught me the power of saying the right thing at the right moment to lift someone’s spirit. I now aspire to offer that same kindness to everyone I encounter.” This winning mindset is a key message she shares as an Olympic speaker.
Keynote Speaker
However, Dawes is much more than just an accomplished gymnast. After dedicating eighteen years to the sport, this inspiring Olympic speaker discovered a new passion: empowering others. She is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. She addresses audiences ranging from hundreds to thousands on topics such as passion, leadership, teamwork, health, fitness, and wellness. Dawes’ powerful message resonates with diverse groups. These include corporate executives, small business owners, women’s organizations, youth service organizations, and students from high school to college. Her captivating passion and energy leave a lasting impact on those she inspires.
Gymnastics Academy
Given that gymnastics was her first profound passion, this dedicated Olympic athlete continues to educate at the grassroots level. She hosts “FUNdamentals with Dominique Dawes,” one-day gymnastics clinics designed for competitive gymnasts of all ages. These clinics emphasize fundamental skills, effective goal-setting, and mental toughness.
Golden
Dawes has collaborated with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted on “Golden,” a new docuseries on Peacock. This series follows women gymnasts as they compete for a coveted spot on the U.S. team heading to the Tokyo Olympics. The six-episode series intimately tracks five hopeful athletes vying for just four positions on the U.S. Olympic team.
Team Owner
Demonstrating her continued involvement in sports, Dominique joined a diverse group of investors, including Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager, to become part of the ownership group of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit.
Honors
Dawes earned her degree from the University of Maryland and was inducted into the university’s prestigious Hall of Fame in 2022. Furthermore, in 2023, her hometown of Montgomery County, Maryland, honored her remarkable career and enduring legacy with a life-size statue. This tribute serves to continually inspire future generations to follow in the footsteps of this remarkable Olympic speaker.
Dominique Dawes Speaking Topics
How To Climb the Mountaintop
Dominique Dawes wows audiences with her honest, funny, and inspiring look at life as a three-time Olympic gymnast. As part of the “Magnificent Seven” at the 1996 Atlanta games, Dawes won gold, but also learned her greatest lesson: the pain of failure is always an opportunity for growth. After slipping in her individual floor routine and immediately falling out of contention for an All Around gold medal, Dawes was heartbroken but resolute on continuing her career and becoming a beacon of hope in a sport that strives for near-impossible standards. Years later, Dawes is committed to teaching audiences around the world that failure fuels the mind and body to achieve things they could have never imagined possible. With a unique ability to connect with audiences, Dawes shares her thoughts on the power of the mind and positive thoughts, the importance of healthy self-esteem, why teamwork means checking your ego at the door, and why every person’s contributions matter—no matter how high or low on the totem pole they may seem to be. A roller coaster look at the life of an Olympian, Dawes leaves audiences laughing, crying, and inspired to be their best.
Success is a Journey, NOT a Destination
For Dominique Dawes winning Olympic gold is so much more than medals and accolades: it’s something she worked hard to achieve everyday en route to Olympic glory. Today she shares her personal and professional philosophy with audiences across the country. Called “D-3” – Determination, Dedication, Desire – it’s what gave her the strength and confidence to handle the professional and personal challenges in her life, to persevere amidst defeat and triumph in victory. In emotionally uplifting presentations, Dawes shows audiences how to use D-3 to reformulate negative situations into positive ones and turn obstacles into victories – all while clearly demonstrating that success is a journey, not a destination.
Envision: Reaching Your Full Potential
ENVISION is Dawes' signature, most uplifting and captivating message. It is also the title of her motivational line of products. ENVISION is an acronym for the 8 principles that helped Dawes become successful in and out of the athletic arena. She crafts this speech specifically to motivate and empower the audience to envision greatness in their own lives. The core focuses are passion, plan and perseverance.
Building a Strong Foundation for Success
Building a solid foundation was one of the keys to Dawes' success. Her emphasis on a solid foundation touches on multiples areas: from healthy lifestyle choices to developing positive self-esteem where she addresses issues such as peer pressures, productive attitudes and values. The audience will walk away empowered, motivated, and, more importantly, clear on what it takes to build a strong foundation worthy of your dreams.
Got D-3?: Determination, Dedication, Desire
D-3 became Dawes' personal motto when she was an Olympic athlete in the making. Fatigue, frustration and loss of focus was common is such a perfectionist sport. D-3 kept Dawes focused on what was going to allow her to stay on the path to success. She paints a vivid picture of moments in the gymnastics arena where D-3 inspired her to persevere through setbacks and struggles, sacrifices and insecurities, en route to Olympic Gold. D-3 has become a staple in Dawes' athletic and professional accomplishments. She inspires audiences to develop their own personal motto that will help define and direct them in life too!
Women's Health & Heart Disease
Dominique Dawes has worked with the American Heart Association as the spokesperson for the Choose to Move program for years, advancing their goal of informing everyone on how to combat cardiovascular disease. In this keynote presentation, she focuses on the benefits of smart nutrition, everyday exercise, and commonsense core habits that each of us can implement to avoid the number one killer of women: cardiovascular disease.
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Dominique Dawes Speaker Testimonials
Dominique was simply outstanding!! What a dynamic and engaging speaker! She quickly connected with her audience and held them captive till the very end.
- Lee Hampton | Director of Multicultural Relations, Jackson Community College
Dominique was a great opening speaker this morning!!! I have heard so much positive feedback already as well. I hope she had a good experience as well. THANK YOU!
- Iowa Credit Union League |
We couldn’t be more pleased with Dominique’s performance. She connected with our attendees really well, both on and off stage. Nice for it to be such a success!
- Securian |
OMG!!! Everybody LOVED her!! Such great feedback!!! Please thank her!! She was so transparent and her energy was phenomenal!! We could have heard her go on for longer! There were probably 20 more questions in the queue when we finished!
- Youngliving Essential Oils |
